Fiber and the dreaded C word....

Hey everybody

I don't post all that often around here, I just do a lot of reading. So I have a quesiton which I already know it's been brought up a billion times but some of these posts are from a few years ago I read information on or sometimes just don't get the blunt answer that I want or need.

Ok so I had RNY June 2010. Things were going great until March 2011 I started getting constipated. I have tried the Walmart brand Fiber supplements, started off in small dosage and worked my way up, tried for a month with no help, all it left me with was feeling bloated like crazy.

Tried Fiber bars, which helped a bit but was told to not eat those everyday because of the carbs.

Tried Benefiber and currently trying it again but not noticing anything helping.

Started taking stool softeners this week as well. I can feel like I have to go but it's so hard (TMI ) sorry but I know you guys can relate. I have been having to use laxatives in the past few months just to get some relief. When I asked my surgeon he said to try fiber supplements. I don't want to keep wasting my money on all this stuff if nothing is working. I am getting frustrated, all this bloating and issues have me at a stall right now or maybe I have just hit a stall.

Ok I have read to take Miralax & Magnesium Oxide pills were the main responses I found. Do I have to take both or do you think just the Magnesium Oxide pills will be enough?

I have tried increasing my fiber intake with food but can't seem to get past 30 let alone some days can't reach 20! Since trying to get in more fiber my carb counts are going up past 100 granted a lot of it is from fruits or veggies but everyone says keep your carbs down and it seems nearly impossible! I don't know how you guys stay under 50, my greek yogurt has carbs, fruit & veggies have carbs those three things alone can put me over 50 on any given day.

Things I typically eat:

Every morning for breakfast I have a greek yogurt and started putting Uncle Sam's cereal in it, like 1/4 of a cup, it has fiber in it. I also have 2 cups of coffee, recently started drinking coffee thinking that might help me out...nope!

Morning Snack or Afternoon snacks consist of some type of fruit or veggies or hint of salt peanuts or cottage cheese, sometimes I have peanut butter on my fruit or in my cottage cheese for added protein.

Lunch varies so much but obviously protein is my focus

Dinners is typically chicken, fish, porkchops, ground turkey and some veggie - maybe a bite of rice or baked potatoe but not until my meat and veggies are gone

I drink over 120 oz of water a day, I work out 5-6 days a week. I manage to get in roughly 80-100 grams of protein. My calories typically sit at 1200 a day.

Between the constipation and now the scale stalling I want to rip my hair out! I've been in a stall now for almost two weeks and don't know what to do to break it, trying to change up my work outs, not sure what I should do calorie wise, never have, it's all so confusing!!! I use myfitnesspal to try my food everyday, have logged my food since January, according to their site it said I shouldn't go over 1200 calories even with me working out 5-6 days a week.

I appreciate any feedback.........

I also take Benefiber and the stool softeners.  I also feel like I need to go but nothing happens.   In that case, I insert a glycerin suppository (eg Fleet), which somehow gets things moving.  Once things start, the stools are soft enough.  I like the idea of the suppository rather than laxatives because it stays in the body for just a couple of minutes, then gets pushed out.  You can't get "dependent" on them like laxatives. 

Hope everything comes out well on your end!  (bad pun i know).   Good luck!

Try drinking 4-6 oz of prune juice daily. Also dulcolax. I have the same concerns and this is what my doctor suggested. Seems basic, but perhaps it might work. Good Luck :)

I didn't think of the prune juice, although I am concerned at how it tastes, never had it before but maybe I will pick some up and give that a try.

I currently take Ducolax now, if I can't take it anymore then I will take 2-3 pills to get relief, lately I have been taking 1 a day for two weeks now and still nothing, I can go 2-3 days with no movement and I can feel like I gotta go, I try to go and can't pu**** out. Sorry to be so graphic. Even been taking the stool softeners for two weeks now hoping that would help too and no help :(

 Good timing on this post - I took a poo yesterday that took 1.5hrs and me SCREAMING on the toilet to pu**** out. Just as my husband came back from the pharmacy with a Fleet's enema, it FINALLY came out. Whew!!
So my routine, which took much experimentation and, as I learned the hard way yesterday, must be consistently adhered to or I'm stopped up like the Hoover Dam, is: 2 colace every night, metamucil clear/sugar-free every morning, Smooth Move tea or Dulcolax when it's been more than 24hrs since my last BM. Working so far......

I take Miralax every night and relief is guaranteed  the next morning.
Also take 1 tablespoon of Benefiber daily.

Miralax is the best.  Buy the store brand generic version.

I will pick some Miralax up tonight and give it a try. The main issue I am having with all of these fiber supplements I am trying is I get so bloated and icky feeling off of them I'd rather be constipated LOL

Mirilax and magnesium oxide work for me.  If I  miss the Mirilax just one day, I tend to have problems.  I also use Dulcolax suppositories when things get too stopped up, but that rarely happens if I take both the Mirilax and magnesium oxide.

I am hoping to find both tonight when I go out shopping.

How much Miralax a day? Do you have to slowly increase like with Benefiber? 

How much Magnesium Oxide a day?

Fiber is good but if you're not taking in enough water with it, it'll have the opposite effect. I've had serious issues with constipation!
Miralax once a day, it's tasteless so it can be disolved in whatever you're drinking.
I take Stool softeners every night before I go to bed
TONS of water
And if you haven't gone in almost a week, taking something orally may not fix the current situation of blockage. When the stool is hard and painful to pass I use Glycerine suppositories or if need be an enema. They help break things up from the bottom end, making passing things less painful!! 
I've heard that the magnesium citrate works wonders for some. I can't use it currently but it's known to help...just make sure you're near a bathroom, it's known to really clean you out!
Hope your situation gets easier!